Kogi House of Assembly on Wednesday conducted an induction course for the 25 newly elected members of the house.

The one-day induction course, held at the Chambers of the House, was attended by all the members-elect, with three from the opposition parties, PDP and ADC.

Speaking at the event, Haruna Musa-Idoko, special adviser to Gov. Yahaya Bello on legislative matters, educated the members-elect on the importance of the legislative business to the state and the entire nation.

The adviser said, “Legislative business is not learnt elsewhere but on the job, therefore, the need for you to be friendly with one another and the legislative staff who will be assisting you on the job.

“You must ensure peace and unity in the course of your legislative duties despite the fact that not all of you are from the same political party.

“In spite of that difference, I wish to advise that you toe party lines during voting for the leadership of the House so as not to rock the boat of the state.”

Also, chairman of the assembly service commission, Alhaji Andas Abdulmalik, stressed the need for the lawmakers to be acquainted with their prospective aides for better service delivery.

He said it was the prospective aides that would be the lawmakers’ image-makers, therefore, they should be good and capable of representing them anywhere.

“This is why your legislative aides should be academically sound so as to be able to conduct researches and get data for the use of the lawmakers to benefit your constituencies and the state,” he said.

Mr Abdulmalik congratulated the elected members and commended them for attending the training with rapt attention, which indicated their high level of seriousness and a hope for a robust 8th House of Assembly.

Earlier, in his lecture titled “Principles and Practice of Emotional Intelligence for Leaders,” retired Deputy Clerk, Administration and General Services, Martins Enimola, stressed the need for lawmakers to manage their emotions while making decisions.

Mr Lawal Lamidi of Ultimate Consultants, in his lecture titled: “Financial Guide to Budgeting,” stressed the need for lawmakers to prioritise their needs and embark on productive ventures.

Other lectures delivered included: Legislative Practice and Rule of Engagement by Kogi House of Assembly’s Deputy Clerk, Alfa Ndagi Ahmed, and “Is LawmakinFunctionon of Legislators under the Presidential System?” by Barr. Bamidele Suru.

(NAN)